International competition for the development of a concept for the modernisation of the Gorky Central Park managed to engage nearly 200 architecture firms and companies from 33 countries. As a result, 23 individual participants and 20 consortia, which brought together various bureaus, studios and companies, submitted applications that met the selection criteria. The final list of applicants for victory and the subsequent development of a renovation project for one of the oldest parks in Siberia included representatives of 15 countries.

Most of the participants are from Russia: 51 companies from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Kemerovo, Tomsk, Yaroslavl applied for participation. There are also Krasnoyarsk architects. As for foreign countries, the UK companies lead with five applications, then goes the Netherlands with three, the United States and France both submitted two applications, and so did representatives from Australia, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, China, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Japan.

«Since its foundation, the Central Park has been one of the key symbols of the city and a favourite vacation spot for Krasnoyarsk residents. The reconstruction of this space should simultaneously preserve it from a historical point of view, and make it even more popular, more comfortable and beautiful. For such a unique task, we tried to attract the best architects, planners, and designers of public spaces, – notes Evgeny Nikitin, CEO of RUSAL, one of the competition’s organisers. – The jury will have to make a difficult choice. We are confident that the finalists will be able to offer world-class solutions that can make the park a common recreational resource for residents, along with the Historic Quarter, Revolution Square, Surikov Square and the Yenisei Embankment. The experience and ideas can become a source for the next transformations in Krasnoyarsk and other cities of the region.»

On October 6, the jury will announce three finalists to continue to fight in the second stage of the competition and offer their vision on the concept of the Central Park.

«Of course, the opinions of residents about what the park should become will be reflected in the project, and the main problems in need to be solved are already clear. This is the state of the infrastructure for walking, the need for new lighting and playgrounds, comfortable modern furniture and spaces for winter recreational activities, – said Mayor of Krasnoyarsk Sergei Eremin. – After renovation, the Central Park should present a new level of improvement. We need to turn it into an exemplary space.»

The jury of the competition includes recognized Russian and international experts in the development and renovation of public and historically valuable spaces. Among them are the director for the development of regional parks in Antwerp province (Belgium) Peter Verdick as the international curator of the competition, Irina Krymova as a certified expert in conducting state historical and cultural expertise, director of the Urban Policy Institute, adviser to the president of the Union of Architects of Russia Evgenia Murinets.